There are countless opportunities to identify your position in the made-up universe when browsing through books and the aisles of a library. 

In contrast to the acceptance they battle for in the actual world, which rejects people for their uniqueness, the literary universe offers many people the world they wish to live in. 

There has never been a more active and exciting community than the LGBTQ community, yet the world rejects them for their uniqueness and vivacity. 

When it comes to LGBTQ literature, it has grown over the years with many outstanding works by brilliant writers exposing the sufferings and challenges of the queer community. 

Books engage individuals in their folds by working a charm of their own.

Let's look at the best LGBTQ books you need to read to learn more about the queer community and where it fits in the binary society.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This book depicts the tale of a young man who decides to prioritise perpetual youth over his soul. One of the greatest playwrights in history wrote it and it later became a universally recognised gay symbol. After its publication, Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray caused a stir since many critics labelled the protagonist Dorian as an "immoral" hero. He lives forever young but sees his painting age with each of his malicious actions. For those who want to comprehend a character perceived as out of place in a world full of rules, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel still read worldwide, is a must-read among the various LGBTQ books.

The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

In Strasbourg in 1518, a lone woman begins to dance in the central square during the oppressive summer heat. Hundreds of other ladies join her as she dances nonstop for days. The city government declares an emergency and hires musicians to play the dancing women silly. Lisbet, who is expecting, is taking care of the family's bees while she resides on the city's outskirts. The dancing sickness worsens as Lisbet is snared in a web of hidden desires and lies. This gripping tale of superstition, radical change and women tested to the brink was inspired by actual occurrences.

Maurice by E.M. Forster

E.M. Forster's Maurice, one of the groundbreaking novels in LGBTQ literature, is situated in the traditional England of the early 20th century. It follows Maurice Hall's development from childhood to maturity and his investigation of his dual personality. It is a well-known LGBTQ book. The story focuses on a guy discovering his sexual identity in a restrictive culture and shows how convention tramples a person's right to personal freedom. This book, which was long kept out of the hands of the general public, is now extensively read to combat a constrictive environment.

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

James and Mungo identify as Catholics and live in the brutally sectarianised hypermasculine milieu of two Glasgow housing estates. The two should be rivals, but when they seek refuge in the doocot James built for his racing pigeons, they become increasingly intimate. Mungo and James try to negotiate a dangerous and uncertain future together while daydreaming about escape and constantly being on the lookout for them.

The Stonewall Reader by New York Public Library

This anthology, released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, tells the turbulent stories and testimonies of the historical LGBTQ rights movement in the US throughout the 1960s. It is a collection of firsthand testimonies, narratives, and voices that documents the efforts of the unsung heroes who spearheaded the nationwide campaign for gay liberation and rights in 1969. This one is one of the best LGBTQ books for individuals interested in learning more about the turbulent movement for LGBTQ rights in the US and how it developed into a crucial chapter in the country's history.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

The well-known author of salt slow, Julia Armfield, has written her first book, Our Wives Under the Sea. After a disastrous deep-sea mission, Leah returns to her wife, Miri. Leah brings this calamity with her into the house she and Miri inhabit. This is a study of life in the deep oceans and how two individuals can feel like they are on entirely different planets while living together.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

This book, a coming-of-age tale, merits a prominent inclusion on our list of the best LGBTQ literature. It is the beautiful tale of two lads named Dante and Aristotle as they search for their true selves and the meaning and goals of their life. The book addresses a significant component of the quiet ostracization that LGBTQ individuals experience and are frequently ill-equipped to combat.

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

Douglas Stuart's piercing, Booker Prize-winning debut, set in a destitute Glasgow in the 1980s, is a tragic tale that exposes the brutality of poverty and the boundaries of love. Agnes Bain has always had loftier aspirations, but once her husband deserts her, she is left alone in a devastated mining town with her three children and slowly sinks into alcoholism. Long after her other children have departed, Shuggie, her son, tries to aid Agnes but is forced to leave her to rescue himself. Since Shuggie is unique, the neighborhood kids tease him, and the adults label him as "no' right." But he thinks he can become like other lads and leave this terrible location if he tries hard.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

This beloved female author Alice Walker, who came from a disadvantaged background, wrote the novel that won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. One of the best LGBTQ books ever written, it goes beyond a straightforward binary view of gender and engages in various analyses of the notable characters. The rejection that these people experience and the uncertainty that results from having a non-binary orientation are both amply depicted in this book.

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

The Danish Girl is a book based on the true experience of Einar Wegener, a Danish artist who was also the first man to undergo the sex-change procedure and has been remade as a blockbuster starring some of today's most gifted performers. In this LGBTQ book, a guy who discovers he is a woman falls in love with his wife, who supports him on his transformational journey. The book's central focus is gender identity, providing a fascinating insight into the numerous facets of gender.

Carol by Patricia Highsmith

The connection between Carol, a self-assured divorcee, and Therese Belivet, a lonely young artist, is depicted viscerally in Carol, a film set in 1950s New York. To prevent any potential scandal surrounding her personal life, Highsmith first published Carol as The Price of Salt under a pseudonym in 1952.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

The Women Could Fly a stirring tale that relates to our times. It is a hybrid of dystopia and fantasy. Josephine Thomas is twenty-eight, uncertain about marriage, and on the verge of losing control over her own life in a world where witches are real and unmarried women over the age of thirty are required to be monitored by the state. After fourteen years have passed since her mother vanished, Jo feels she now understands her mother better than ever. She has heard every theory, from kidnapping to murder to witchcraft. So when the chance arises to carry out one more directive from her mother's will, she seizes it.